Flying Car Soars Over Water

A newly released video shows a prototype of a flying car, which resembles an airborne motorcycle, zooming over open water.

The prototype can take off vertically, runs solely on electric power and could fit in the average person's garage, said Kitty Hawk, the company that built the prototype flying machine.

The company was funded by Google co-founder Larry Page. The working prototype took to the skies earlier this month, but customers won't be able to get their own until the end of this year, Kitty Hawk said. The flying car is currently regulated as an ultralight aircraft under Part 103 of the Federal Aviation Administration's regulations for these types of vehicles, according to Kitty Hawk

The flying car isn't designed to replace your Toyota Camry on the morning commute, the company said. Rather, the car is intended to fly over a body of freshwater, and is suited for flight only in uncongested areas, the company said. However, the barrier to entry for the car is low, because people aren't required to have a pilot's license to operate the vehicle, Kitty Hawk said. As a result, the new flying car is more akin to a hobbyist's jet ski than a truly new mode of transportation, the company said.

Those who are hankering for a more utilitarian version of a flying vehicle may not have to wait long; the European company AeroMobil started taking pre-orders for its flying car earlier this year. That model operates as a normal vehicle on the road, then takes off to fly. It is designed for people who want to fly for medium-length trips without having to park at a train station or take a shuttle to the airport for a 1-hour flight, AeroMobil said. Another company, Terrafugia, is designing a foldable-wing car called the Transition, and that vehicle is also available for pre-orders.

For $100, people can purchase a "flyer discovery membership" with Kitty Hawk.  This gives them three years of access to what is essentially a flying-car-enthusiasts club, a jump on, as well as a $2,000 discount on the retail price when the car does become available. (The company hasn't listed a retail price yet.) 

The flying car that Kitty Hawk plans to sell will look different from the one showcased in the group's recent video, the company said

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